[For Seniors] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items

Flower basket made from scrap materials

[Paper Quilling × Plastic Bottle Caps] Spring Flower Basket / Miniature Flowers / paper quilling / flower basket / miniature flowers

A flower basket that uses paper quilling—perfect for spring crafting! It’s very economical because the base of the basket is made from a plastic bottle cap.

It also makes a great small gift! The basic method is to take narrow strips of paper and roll them tightly using a nail stick or bamboo skewer to shape them.

Creating several types—like ovals, teardrops, and fringed rolls—will make it look more vibrant! After stuffing the bottle cap with tissue, freely decorate it with flower parts to finish.

Make lots to brighten up your room or entryway.

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miyabi

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Origami bookmark

[Origami] How to Make a Bookmark / 【Origami】How to Make a Bookmark

These colorful origami bookmarks are helpful as a guide to show how far you’ve read in a book.

A single sheet works as a marker, but opting for a colorful, sturdy design can make you more eager to keep reading.

The structure features a folded tab that tucks in, and the glue-free approach shows consideration for not sticking to the pages.

Just punch a hole and tie a ribbon to finish.

Mixing origami patterns with different ribbons adds originality, too.

You might also sandwich a piece of cardstock inside to make it even sturdier.

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kappamaki

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acorn beanbags

Let’s gather acorns and try making handmade beanbags♪

Modern people live surrounded by digital gadgets, and it feels like we don’t play games like beanbag juggling as much anymore.

Making beanbags with acorns could be a fun way to feel like a kid again.

Some people might even be surprisingly skilled, almost like professional jugglers! When using acorns for beanbags, start with proper prep.

First, wash them thoroughly and either boil them or freeze them to eliminate insects.

Next, sun-dry them completely.

It’s also effective to leave them for a while in a plastic bag together with a desiccant.

Hair tie / bracelet

How to Use Fabric Scraps: Perfect for Summer! Finished in No Time. / Remake / Handmade

Why not try making accessories like hair ties or bracelets using long, thin fabric scraps? If the length isn’t enough, you can piece fabrics together.

First, place the fabric right sides together and sew with a 1 cm seam allowance, then turn it right side out to form a tube.

Next, prepare a 50 cm length of yarn and thread it through the fabric.

Sew a ring elastic to one end of the fabric, then prepare another elastic; thread the fabric through them in a figure-eight pattern to finish.

The thickness of the fabric and the diameter of the elastic will change the volume and fit, so you can adjust them to suit your purpose.

The finished items are lightweight, easy to wear, and great for both your wrist and your hair.

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kojifumi

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Felt Scrap Tree

Around Christmas time, it’s a great idea to make a Christmas tree using leftover fabric scraps or felt.

If you happen to have red or green scraps, try making a tree that fully embraces Christmas colors.

If you don’t have red or green, any color is fine, but giving the colors a unified theme will make the tree look even nicer.

For example, you could go with a black and gray two-tone palette, or coordinate pastel shades like orange and pink.

If you make it only with fabric scraps, the whole tree can end up looking a bit limp, so it might be a good idea to first create a frame out of thick paper or cardboard.

Handmade kadomatsu made from paper products and felt

[New Year Decorations] How to Make a Mini Kadomatsu

Many handmade creations convey the warmth and feelings of their makers.

A kadomatsu crafted with construction paper, tissue paper flowers, or felt might be one of those, too.

You can create a beautifully detailed kadomatsu that exudes handcrafted warmth using materials sold at 100-yen shops and the like.

Using toilet paper rolls as the base of the kadomatsu is also recommended.

By combining recycled materials, it can be effective both in terms of cost and for the environment, don’t you think? Adding tissue-paper flower decorations to the kadomatsu gives it a soft, gentle finish.

It’s said that older adults, too, can feel a sense of accomplishment from creating their own pieces using recycled and familiar materials.

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Nakajima Junko

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Tabletop kadomatsu

@yuumaama2022

Production of how to make a tabletop kadomatsuTranslationHandmadeKadomatsuChildcarechildNew YearHandmade Kadomatsu

♪ Original song – Yuumaaama – Yuumaaama

Let’s make a tabletop kadomatsu (traditional New Year’s pine decoration) using a milk carton.

We’ll place decorative elements that form the kadomatsu inside pieces cut from the carton.

There are detailed steps such as folding origami or construction paper and cutting short lengths of plastic ribbon.

Because it uses fine motor skills extensively, it can stimulate the brain and may offer brain-training benefits.

It’s also a project that can help improve concentration.

Starting from a simple milk carton and building it up into a splendid kadomatsu is likely to delight older adults as well.

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Nakajima Junko

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